#rinzai

McCoy: “It might eventually cure the common cold, but lengthen lives? Poppycock. I can do more for you if you just eat right and exercise regularly” Star Trek, “The Omega Glory” (s2ep23), Stardate unknown Healthy eating is not difficult, at least in theory. Of course if it were that easy, how come many of us are overweight? Myself included. I talked about this recently, but I do not have very…

Garden pathways along the grounds of Ginkakuji Temple (銀閣寺) in Kyoto

Three Main Schools of Zen

There are three main traditional schools of Zen in Japan, each with its own background and specificities. The Soto Sect Soto is the largest of the sects. Historically practiced by the lower classes, artists, and poets, the Soto sect emphasizes the practice of sitting meditation known as zazen. Practitioners face a wall or a curtain during this meditation. The Rinzai School Traditionally practiced by the samurai caste, the Rinzai School include the presence of Koan, a kind of short and paradoxical sentence that cannot be solved intellectually. However, those are usually introduced only after good posture and concentration were achieved during the seated meditation. The Obaku Sect The smallest of the sects, the Obaku sect was formed by a small group made up of Buddhist masters from China and Japanese students at the Manpuku Temple (Manpuku-ji). To this day, those in the Obaku sect continue to chant sutras in the Chinese language.

All You Can do is Drop Your Mind – Osho

Maneesha, the way of Zen requires certain conditions to be fulfilled. They are not the conditions that other religions require; they are the conditions of receptivity, of awareness, of listening, of an understanding of the wordless, a deep penetration into silence. No other religion asks you these things. They want you to be virtuous, to be moral, not to indulge in adultery. Their requirements…

‘Zazen’ by Hakuin Ekaku (白隠 慧鶴)

Known for revitalizing the Rinzai sect of Japanese Zen, Hakuin Ekaku was also a renowned author and amazing artist. Wiki:

Born: c.1686; Japan  

Nationality: Japanese

Art Movement: Edo period (1603–1867)